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OT - How to find a good dog breeder?

Sara L.

Veteran

I'm hoping you ladies can help me out even though this is way off topic from fashion. My beloved standard poodle is 10 years old and still going strong. No signs of illness, stiffness, hearing or eyesight problems. But he's still getting older and I'd like to get a puppy while he's still around. I feel like puppies are easier to train when they have an older dog to emulate. (BTW, my husband thinks I'm absolutely crazy to want a puppy and a newborn at the same time, but it seems like good timing to me. I'm going to be up at night anyway, might as well let the puppy out. Also, I'm not in a huge hurry for a puppy. I can wait until the right one comes along).

I really want another standard poodle but I have no idea how to find a decent breeder. I got mine from a friend of a friend who happened to have two dogs that she occasionally bred but those dogs have passed away and she's moved on. I'm used to getting pets from the pound so I don't have the faintest idea how to go about finding a decent breeder and not a puppy mill.

I've looked online and was completely overwhelmed. I don't need a championship dog - this is just a house pet that I'll have fixed. However, he's the best dog I've ever had - easy to train, good with kids, a great running/hiking companion, not hyper or destructive, etc. I could go on and on. Plus, he doesn't shed.

Any tips or good online resources? Any advice? I'm clueless. Thanks in advance for your help.

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18 replies

Latest reply was from Beewee

Glory

Veteran

I cannot help with the breeder question as I am in Canada but had to say your poodle is lovely. I am such a poodle fan and have had 3 standards previously and now have a mini

pil

Veteran

What a handsome pup you have there! Have you considered looking for a standard poodle rescue? I seem to remember from the Breaking Bad thread that you are in New Mexico? A quick google search turned up this rescue.

http://www.enchantedpoodleclub.....rescue.htm

Good luck! Ihope you find another good companion.

DeclawedJaguar

Veteran

Your doggie is a cutie! And all this time I thought you only had Domino the cat. No advice on finding breeders, but I think your idea of getting a puppy while the older guy is still around is a good one. Puppies (or kittens) often have a rejuvenating effect on their older "siblings." Hope you get some good advice!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I find that they usually ask a lot of questions, and they want to interview you in person. The Shiba breeder I was working with asked me to meet them (just the people) the first time, then the second interview was with their dogs (no puppies yet).

I failed the interview and am not eligible for their puppies. I respect them for it though, they made very valid points - I don't have a yard, I don't have time for a high energy dog, I don't have any experience with the breed, etc. They were very kind about it though, and it's good, because I wouldn't have had time for the poor pup.

Marley

Veteran

As an animal rescuer I've just got to put in a plea to go to your nearest shelter or pound! There are zillions of poodles and poodle mixes that are brought into those facilities everyday needing a home - many of them being euthanized because they run out of time at the shelter and no one has adopted them. Just heartbreaking. Also, mixed breeds have significantly fewer health related issues than do pure breeds. Just sayin'.

Mann

Sara, we entered the world of purebreds last year, so maybe the experience is of some help to you. Our dog is a German Shorthaired Pointer, not a poodle though. (The reason we wanted this particular breed was because we were interested in getting involved with competitive dog sports and also having a dog that has very high endurance and energy)
First, I would only support (through buying a puppy) a breeder that is genuinely breeding to develop and improve the breed, so under no circumstance was I willing to consider a breeder that breeds dogs that don't have at least conformation titles and preferably other titles as well (field or hunt titles in case of pointers or obedience titles). A quick way to scan for that is to look for the American Kennel Club Breeder of Merit list. It might sound a very big deal to have a "champion" sire and dam, but it really should be a prerequisite for any purebred to be used in a breeding program. (There are too many puppies in this world already.) That should already narrow down the list of breeders that are within your larger area. Another important point for us was to make sure any dog the breeder was using has gone through appropriate health certifications (hips, eyes, etc, whatever is standard for poodles) - this is one of the conditions for receiving the AKC Breeder of Merit certification. Our next step was to contact the few breeders that remained in our area (it might be a longer list for poodles!) and visit them. We met both the dam and the sire of our puppy, although I recognize meeting the sire might not always be an option. We observed the dogs and asked a lot of questions about their temperament etc, why these two were chosen to be bread together, how many litters the dam has already had if any, witnessed how the dogs were treated and interacted with humans, how the litter will be brought up, etc etc. And we were interviewed by the breeder obviously as well. A good breeder should be a resource for the entire lifetime of the dog. (The contracts we saw always also state that if we no longer can keep the dog, the dog must return to the breeder instead of a shelter)
Lastly, I don't know if you go to dog parks or walk a lot on the streets where you could meet other dog owners, but if you did run into a poodle you liked, I would definitely also take the opportunity to talk to the owner and ask where they got the dog from and if it's from a breeder, then whether they had a good experience and would recommend the breeder.
Hope this is at least a little bit helpful.

Sara L.

Veteran

Glory - He looks good now because he just got groomed. He was looking a lot more like a sheepdog than a poodle just a couple days ago.

pil - Thanks for the rescue org link. I'll definitely look into that!

DeclawedJaguar - Rocky's not interesting in pictures in the morning like Domino is. He's not a morning dog

Lyn* - Thanks for the info on the interviews. I didn't realize how in depth they could be. Luckily I have experience with the breed and a large fenced yard.

Marley - I have to admit I'm somewhat torn because I do like to adopt my pets from the pound. All my cats have come from there. Unfortunately, I've had mixed breed dogs in the past and it's been hit or miss. The reason I love this poodle so much isn't that he's pretty (although he is) but he has such a great personality. I feel I have a better chance of getting a similar personality with a purebred since personality traits are part of the breeding not just looks.

Mann - Thank you for the information about the AKC. That sounds like a good place to start. Rocky actually has papers and his grandparents were both champions. I also have health certificates for his eyes and hips. I just didn't realize the significance. Standard poodles aren't very common around here, but I will definitely take your advice to talk to the owner if I see one.

Mann

Sara, one more comment - many good breeders can arrange to ship puppies too, if you find a breeder you like that is not within driving distance. The downside is that you can't visit and everything will need to just be over the phone, but if you have a good recommendation for that breeder, it could be worth considering.
And another place to find breeders and see their dogs would be an actual conformation show - depending on where you live, there might be something nearby.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Oh, I forgot! My dad got his doggy from a breeder about a 4 day car-ride away from where we grew up. He had a phone-interview and then flew out to pick up the puppy. I think he found the breeder through word of mouth.

Poodles don't shed? Really? Maybe I should look into one

Sara L.

Veteran

lyn* - Nope, poodles don't shed. It's a great perk. You do have to get them clipped though since their hair just keeps growing. We take ours to the groomer every 2 or 3 months - more often in the summer, less often in the winter.

pil

Veteran

Sara, you probably already know this, but one benefit of a rescue is that the dog's foster can give you information on its personality and habits. That's how we decided which little treasure to bring home. The rescue we adopted through also made a home visit and checked our veterinary references.

Gaylene

Veteran

Our experience with our purebred golden was quite similar to Mann's. The only difference was we asked a local vet who owned a coupled of goldens for his recommendation. He steered us to a Canadian Kennel Club breeder and we went through much the same process of being asked questions, arranging a visit to see the dam and sire and then visiting again after the puppies were born. We were also given copies of health certificates, registration papers, and awards. Our breeder's policy was that she kept the best pups for breeding and showing and then sold the remaining pups for pets under the condition that the pets would be spayed and registered so they couldn't be used for breeding. She actually watched our family quite closely as we played with the pups and then suggested the pup that she thought would be the best fit for our family.

She was spot on and Kai quickly became a member of our family. He adored us and we reciprocated his affection in spades. We used to joke about his lineage being far more impressive than ours. He was our champion for fourteen wonderful years and left a big hole in our hearts when he passed away.

I know many of my friends have found wonderful companions at rescue shelters, but we chose our route because we knew the characteristics of the breed and had a great deal of trust in our vet and the breeder.

deb

Veteran

Sara, I got both of my pups from the same breeder. Her dogs have wonderful dispositions and I would not hesitate to get another. She and I have become friends and she is always there if I need advice.

http://www.sterlingpoodlepuppies.com/

#1 - Gaea - born February 2, 2007
#2 - Zeus - born July 16, 2003

I could call Joanne to get a referral for your area if you want. Or you can call her and tell her you know me to see if she know any breeders there.

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Sara L.

Veteran

deb - Thank you for the link! I will be sure to send her an email and mention your name.

Gaylene - Thank you for the advice concerning the vet as it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask. Rocky is due for shots soon and that will be a good opportunity to talk to her.

Anonymous

I'm sorry to be the misery in the bunch, but a new baby and a pup is a little overwhelming. I would wait a good year or so. I hope I didn't offend

Connie

Hi! Just found this thread. I'm also interested in standard poodles for all the reasons you mentioned. The breeder I'm talking with is Ardent Standard Poodles in Washington state. I want a family dog and personal companion, but her dogs are bred very thoughtfully.
The cost is a factor for me, but I'm considering just saving up for a well-bred puppy with a long history behind her/him because it could pay back in less health related issues down the road.
Have you already spoken with Paula from Ardent Standard Poodles?

Sara L.

Veteran

Connie - I haven't looked any further than some web searches at this point. I'm hoping to have time in the next couple weeks to get more serious in my search. Washington state is a little farther away than I want to go as I live in NM.

Beewee

I just sorta scanned through all the responses you've gotten. I don't think anybody has mentioned this, but maybe you can have the best of both worlds...breed specific and rescue. There are organizations out there for breed rescue. I personally am associated with a miniature schnauzer rescue group in Florida.

The group takes in miniature schnauzer and mini mixes on occasion. They are fostered for a time period to determine any health issues which are addressed and they are evaluated for temperament. Applications are submitted for adoptions which are reviewed to see if the foster and adoptive family are compatible. There are even phone interviews and home visits to verify the information submitted.

All this to say, if you want to do your heart good and save a life, there is a way to get what type of dog you are looking for buy considering a breed rescue group! I don't know if there are any in you area but a google search should turn up something. They may not be in your state but possibly an adjacent state (Schnauzer Love Rescue serves several SE states) and they may even arrange for travel to your home.

Good luck with your search!

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